Hi Doug, this comment isn't related directly to this video, but I just wanted to say thank you for making this channel and sharing all of your production and streaming knowledge. I'm starting a video streaming business and your videos have helped tremendously. I've watched a ton of your videos and some I've watched 3, 4, and 5 times over. I started out as an instant replay operator for sports games and I never fully comprehended the purpose of all the gear in the truck. I was mainly concerned with just instant replay. Thanks to your channel, now I know how everything works! Anyways, thanks again! Looking forward to the next video!
Hi folks, I'm going to try and explain impedance. Wish me luck! Impedance is a two part measurement. One part is the 'real' component and you will not be surprised then to find the other part is the 'imaginary' component. Together they make up something called a 'complex number'. The impedance classification of a cable is the resistance one would measure between the inner and outer conductors if looking at an infinite length of unterminated cable. The reason for it being a complex number is that both the dc and ac characteristics have to be combined together. The cable has a dc resistance along with some inductance and rather more capacitance. In effect it forms a low pass filter and these resistance, inductance and capacitance quantities have to be engineered so that the cable can pass the frequencies required along a useful length as Doug explains.
I've had great success running 12G-SDI over Belden 1855A, which is also nice and flexible for the patch panel. Always found the 1694 stuff to be too thick to handle properly.
As someone who has put BNC connectors on coax and didn't know about that connector thing until now, definitely would not rely on which connector is on the cable to determine what impedance the cable is. It usually says on the side of the cable anyway.
I work for a Border Patrol tech contractor. For really long 1080P 30 runs I need the lower DC resistance RG6 that is all copper center conductor vs the copper coated steel in cable TV usage. So home improvement store RG6 will work on shorter runs, but our 200 ft + runs require all copper in the center conductor.
Its now 2024. Good tip about the white inner piece for the rg58 cable (50 ohm). i havent used my Amateur radio license in over 25 years with lots of cables and antennae etc. Now its video cable sdi/hdmi for digital video cameras and Unreal software.
Hi, Doug. Just subscribed to your channel I'm new to SDI, I use it to capture SD video from obsolete videotape formats. Using a Black Magic Mini Converter Analog to SDI and a Black Magic Decklink Mini Recorder. I hope to learn a lot from your videos. Thanks for maing them.
Home-improvement store RG6 and the compression BNC connectors work perfectly fine for SMPTE 292M (720p, 1080i) HD-SDI. I have around dozen camera cables. Some of them are the "good-stuff" flexible cable like Doug shows, and the rest are the home-improvement kind. I also use RG59 cables for HD-SD. My rule of thumb is that RG6 is reliable up to 300 ft, and RG59 up to 100 ft. I'm not into 4K (or 8K), so I don't have any experience with 6GHz or 12GHz SDI. My gut feeling is that RG6 would be good for 6GHz at least for 100 ft. The inner dielectric (the white part between the center wire and the outer shield) is the most critical to signal integrity over long distances. The foam dielectric will reliably pass an HD-SDI signal over a longer distance than the solid kind. Virtually all of the home-improvement RG6 is foam-dielectric. The shield is important for signal integrity when you are running cable or satellite RF, but not nearly as important for HD-SDI. The home-improvement RG6 is rather "over-kill" for HD-SDI. However the style of the shield (for example "quad-shield") is important when you are selecting connectors. Be sure to get connectors that are designed for the kind of coax cable you are using. There are many 75-ohm cables (RG6 and RG59) out there with 50-ohm BNC connectors. You CANNOT determine the impedance of the cable by looking at the connectors. You should always read the rating printed on the side of the cable. For short distances, 50-ohm BNC connectors (and even 50-ohm cable) will work. But it is always preferable to use 75 ohm BNC connectors for 75-ohm applications (like HD-SDI). Note that when buying BNC connectors you must always assume that they are 50-ohm unless they explicitly state that they are 75-ohm. I have always heard it pronounced "Can-ARE-ay" Note the heat-shrink tubing on Doug's RG59 cable example. Good idea to use heat-shrink on each end of your cables. You can write on light color tubing (white, yellow) with a permanent pen to identify owner, length, etc.) And even use different colors on different lengths tor easy selection when setting up. I have also found it handy to use "siamese cable" which is an RG6 bonded together with a Cat5 cable. I use the Cat-5 cable for various things like camera power and/or tally lights and intercom or power/control for my remote pan-tilt heads, or for camera remote control (zoom, focus, iris, etc.)
A quick follow-up on this. I worked on a shoot for someone else yesterday and they had made up a bunch of SDI cables using hardware store quad shield RG-6 cable. We were shooting 1080p29.97, so it was just an HD-SDI signal -- not even 3G-SDI, but we were having a heck of a time getting the cables longer than about 100 feet to work reliably. The signal was pretty marginal. We had to swap out more than one cable over the course of the day.
Home Store RG-6 RF cable has a copper coated STEEL center conductor which will have much greater loss than pure copper and the center pin crimp will NOT be as secure a connection on the harder STEEL conductor. It will not work at as long a distance as a proper VIDEO cable. They are also less flexible since they are designed for fixed use ( Antenna or Cable Company to a TV )
I spent some time in reviewing the industry specs of cables and found the Japanese company "Canard" was the most highly rated. Many dealers do not stock it, and have to order it in. It appears that it is a "batch" production run and needs a lot of orders to actually make it. As 12 G cable is a small industry, then demand for high end cable is low.
Hi, Doug, thanks for providing such thorough and great information in this video. I just had a question about the connectors: do the connectors factor into the decision making when deciding to create a 12G cable vs a 3G one? That is to say, are the connectors “rated” for 3G, 6G, 12G etc. signals, like the cables? Or is it purely a matter of as long as the connector can fit the desired cable there won’t be any issues? Thanks!
Hi Doug. Great content thanks for sharing. I have a question about the home improvement store cable you demonstrated. Why should or shouldn’t use it? I don’t mind getting the more expensive ones if I need it. But I just don’t want to do it thinking that I have to. Thanks again.
The hardware store cable won't let you run a signal as far. And will be more limited in terms of its ability to carry higher resolution signals like 6G- or 12G-SDI.
My work has a Sony EX1. For the kind of work we do, I've never needed an SDI cable, but I did a project the other day where it might have come in handy. Do you know if there's a certain kind of SDI cable I need for the EX1? It seems like a simple question to me, but I'm having a hard time finding an answer online.
Sort of. Both use cable based on RG-59 or RG-6, but the actual design and build quality of the cable matters. Cable made for 12G-SDI will always work for 3G-SDI, but the reverse isn't necessarily true. 12G-SDI creates a signal which changes four times as frequently as 3G-SDI, which means that the signal is made up of much higher frequencies, and the cable has to be able to handle those frequencies at the distance the signal is going to be run without too much loss or other degradation (timing/phase, noise, etc.). For the most part, a 3G-SDI cable will work okay for 12G-SDI for short runs of a few meters. But I wouldn't expect a cable only rated for 3G-SDi to work for longer runs. If you're planning on ever using cable for 4K, I'd highly recommend just getting cable rated for 12G-SDI out of the gate so you don't have to replace it later.
Thank you for your reply. My real question is this.@@djp_video I have a Canon C500 with 3gsdi, I'm looking for a recording monitor, I found one with 12gsdi. Will I be able to use this recording monitor with my camera and if so, which wire would I need, 3g or 12g? Thank you for your time!
Yes. Devices which support 12G-SDI also support 6G-SDI, 3G-SDI, and HD-SDI. If your camera only supports 3G, all you need is a cable compatible with 3G-SDI, which nearly any 75-ohm coax cable with BNC connectors will be at that short distance.
Hello Dough!. Big question: we do small mobile video productions using led wall screen, what SDI cable do you recommend for this kind setups?. thanks in advance!
I like those connectors. I been using the Klein compression connectors and they’ve been working great, but I always wonder how tight the pin actually is on the cable. Do you use boots with any of your cables?
Very helpful video Doug! I having trouble finding 12g pass through cabling. I was looking into the 12G Rated HD-SDI BNC 4855R Mini RG59 - 23 AWG but I can't seem to find any reviews on it. Any thoughts? The description says the cable can carry a 12G-SDI signal up to 149ft, so I should be good for 1ft pass through. I never understand why they put HD-SDI in the title if its 12G rated. SO CONFUSING! lol
We are using blackmagic cameras for live switching with Atem switcher. We are using 2 x 12G sdi cables for camera feed and returns. What is the best way to have 2 sdi cable wrapped into one single cable?
You could use an expandable braided sheath, or a bit of heat shrink every few feet. I'd stay away from tape and zip ties. Velcro cable ties would be another viable option.
Do you have your BM switcher connected to a BM 40x40 video hub? What cable did you use, 1694a still? Is it a lot of bulk? From your experience would a mini rg-59 option from Belden work well for this application?
Yes, I use multiple 40x40 Smart Videohubs. The cabling in my trailer is almost all Belden 1505A. It's somewhat bulky but not bad. If your cable runs are short you can get away with a mini RG-59. Effective range is a lot shorter with the mini cable, though, so I'd avoid it unless you actually really need mini cables.
Hey Doug, I just wanted to say thanks for this video, you really helped me. What are your thoughts for this scenario? I use the ATEM Mini Pro and for some of my live streams i am in need of a roughly 60m camera feed from outdoors to indoors, so i was thinking on getting two Blackmagic Design HDMI/SDI Bidirectional 3G convertors and running RG6 3G cabling, however, would you recommend having 1 x 60m RG6 3G cable or perhaps 6 x10m RG6 3G cables and using female to female BNC connectors? The 60m length is seldom needed so i was thinking of having 10m cables which i can use more frequently as apposed to 1 x 60m cable which would sit i crate as apposed to being used. Your advice would be truly appreciated, i've been a Dj and audio guy for over 15 years and Video kind of fell into my lap since the pandemic so i am fairly new to this side.
The fewer the number of connections the better. Each connection causes signal losses and reflections and other forms of degradation. If it's within your budget, you'd be better off with a single long run than with a run pieced together from shorter lengths of cable.
Hi Doug, thank you for sharing the knowledge! Wanted to ask you, since I work as a VTR on film sets - what is your opinion about Sommer cables, are they worth investing ? They are a bit cheaper than belden cables but I have troubles finding any opinions about them on the internet.
@@djp_videoI understand. I have one more question about power cables used to film monitors.I am planning to mount sdi cable and a power cable with c13 connector, on one reel to facilitate my work on set. Would you recommend any power cable that would be durable and up for such task?
Great video as always! Q: do you have a link to buy Belden 1694A or Canare L-4.5CHD terminated cables by foot? Need to buy some, send it to Miami and then to Venezuela. I like to buy the right ones Thanks in advance ans sorry for my English; I'm still learning Have a Productive and Healthy day!
Hi there, thanks for the info. My question is, does the brand of the HD-SDI RG6 Cable matter. I noticed the monoprice is considerably cheaper. Will it work just as well on a 150 cable from camera to switcher?
It certainly can. There all sorts of level of quality available from not just different manufacturers, but also different SKUs within a given manufacturer. Some are built with higher quality materials or with additional shielding or, in the case of pre-assembled cables, vastly different quality of connectors. You will find that a cable from one manufacturer that works at 150 feet will work just fine, but the same length from another manufacturer won't work at all. For shorter cables it doesn't matter as much, but if you're looking at purchasing a longer cable, sticking with a cable model with a good reputation can really pay off.
Hello and thanks for the great videos. I got a apple 27" LED display ( Magsafe and mini display port) and I'd like to use as a monitor with my Roland V60 HD switcher. I cannot send the signal to the monitor so I can use it as a muitiview ( HDMI from switcher to mini display port to the 27" display) . I tried a converter and it works but only spits out 720 and not 1080p. Do you know how to get it to work? Thanks!
Thanks for the information. I have a question we have an ATEM Mini Pro and are looking to run a live stream of our baseball games in the spring. Our run is a little over 200' what is the best cable to use? Can I go up to 300'?
HDMI will never go that far, so you'll need to convert to SDI or fiber. If you're shooting at 50 or 60 fps and need up to 300 feet, you'll need a good quality cable to make it that far. The coax that I prefer to use is from Belden -- 1505A or 1505F (flexible version) would work but 1694A or 1694F, with Canare or Neutrik connectors would be better. Hardware store RG-6 Quad Shield might work, but I'm not sure I'd risk it, and if you went that way you'd definitely need to upgrade the connectors over what is available in retail.
Hey Doug! Awesome video! You do a great job of providing complex information very understandably. Any way you could you provide an opinion on Canare vs Belden for cabling (understanding you recommend the Canare terminators either way)? Context (if you care to read it): I'm running RG6 transmitting 3G-SDI for up to a 200ft run. Apologies if I missed it but I didn't hear anything explicit in your video. My understanding says that's transmitted at a 2.97Mbps data rate which means we look at the attenuation at 1.485GHz. Looking at the datasheets for Belding 1694A vs Canare L-5CFB for 100ft I'm seeing Belden at 1.5GHz has -7.8dB drop vs Canare at 1.45GHz with an -8.8dB drop. The standards I'm seeing say to keep it above -20dB drop in total for average equipment (I'm looking at the Blackmagic systems for which I can't find exact attenuation specs). This comes to a difference of -15.6dB for Belden vs -17.6dB for Canare. That's a 2dB difference for a bulk price gap of Belden's $0.71/ft to Canare's $0.44/ft. Do you think Belden is worth that price difference? Any advice would be hugely appreciated!
Legendary 1694A is widely used for 3G SDI but it was not designed for it. Belden: "Several years ago, we created an RG-6 video cable (1694A) that carried HD over 370 feet (113m). But when 3G-SDI hit the scene, that video signal - also called 1080p/60 or 1080p/50 - was double the bandwidth of high definition (HD), which reduced distance capabilities of 1694A down to 78m." "That’s when we decided to create the first cable designed specifically to carry signals up to 100m for 3G-SDI, 1794A" www.belden.com/blogs/smart-building/think-12g-sdi-over-coax-isn-t-possible-think-again/
I see you left the center pin on the cable when you put the other pieces back in the box. 14:29 I hope you found it, otherwise you will be wondering why you are missing one when you want to use the last connector.
a question, can you run multiple signals to a stage through 1 rg6 or do i need to have a whole bunch of em taped together to the live stage, thanks let me know
Hi Mr Doug, need a suggestion. I ordered perfect vision rg59 connector 50 nos, but my cables are rg6. Can't return, can I buy rg59 then solder join it with rg6. Kind of makeshift way, Very expensive mistake.
We are considering making our own! Wondering if you could explain the difference between the RG6/RG59 &. BELDEN 1369P Belden 1369P SDI cable, - PLENUM (this was provided by audio install company) Thanks so much!!!
I haven't used 1369P, but performance-wise it looks somewhat similar to the 1505A that I use most frequently. It should work fine for video up to 1080p30 at up to 100m. For higher resolutions or frame rates the usable distance will be shorter. The connectors for 1369P will probably be different than those for standard RG-6 or RG-59. It's similar to an RG-6, but not identical. Belden's recommended connectors are FSNS6PL, FSNS6BNCPL, FSNS6RCAPL. The 'Plenum' designation means that it is safe to use in spaces used for heating or air conditioning, such as false ceilings used for forced-air returns. There are quite a few articles on the internet concerning plenum cables if that is something you care about.
1 Port Vga to 2 Ports Sdi (SD-SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI) Audio Converter SDI Broadcast Room, No-Linear Editing Field, CCTV Securit Hello Doug, I'm trying to connect the video converter mentioned above I connect VGA in the output of the PC and I connect BNC out RG6 cable to a DVR and I do not have any video this black screen before I had a VGA to Video composite and if I have an image there is something especially what you have to do.
Hi, Doug! I bought a DELTACO RG59 and one of the connectors broke in the first attempt to connect to a camera; the outer metal casing (the one with the grip) came loose and metal parts inside fell out. Was it just bad luck or is that brand known for poor quality overall? Do you have experience with that brand, what do you think?
I'm not familiar with that brand. I use Canare and Neutrik connectors exclusively, and Belden and Canare cable exclusively. They have been great, and in the long run aren't any more expensive than the budget brands when you factor in replacements and the time spent dealing with issues.
@@djp_video Thank you for the answer! I have now ordered a Canare L-3CFW (RG59) from the US, since they are not easily available in Europe. I only hope this cable is not made of chinesium.
Hi Doug, sorry to resurrect this oldie but goodie. Is there an adapter or pigtail for a micro BNC to a regular-size BNC (male)? My use case is needing to thread an SDI cable thru a very narrow Steadicam gimble (pole). Space is tight (reverse engineering), so I would like to snake the micro sdi down the pole to the bottom sled where the connection will be to the camera monitor (standard size BNC). The top of the Steadicam stage will have the regular-size BNC for camera output. The cable I have in mind is similar to the Blackmagic video assist cable. Thanks in advance.
You can get micro or DIN1.1/2.3 connectors for many varieties of coax cable. Check Canare, Belden, and Neutrik's websites for some available options. Does the cable need to regularly be inserted and removed? Or could you thread it through one time without connectors, then add full-size connectors afterward?
@@djp_video Thanks for the quick reply. Once I thread the cable, it will live permanently. Your last question seems to suggest I crimp my own cable? If so, i currently do not have the toolset to build my own cables.
There are relatively inexpensive ways of doing that, even from a hardware store. The Quad Shield RG-6 cable sold there works well for short runs for SDI signals, and they usually sell BNC connectors as well.
@@djp_video Okay. Let me get to the bottom of my dilemma. Clearly, I will learn something new and useful with this exercise. Thank you for the guidance.
Thanks for this Doug - very useful. I was wondering if you would tell us what tools to buy to strip the Beldon 1505F cable and crimp the same cable with Canare BCP-B45HW, please? I’ll only be ever running 3G or 6G SDI signal over 1-5m lengths so I’m pretty set on this combo - I just want to make strong, flexible (I do a lot of location work) cables.
You can use the same Canare TS100u with the F versions of the cable, but you'll need to be more careful adjusting the blade so it doesn't damage the inner conductor. djp.li/ts100u
I make my own SDI cables I use Belden 1694A RG6---18 AWG with Canare 3.0 GHz 75-Ohm BNC Plug for L-5CFB/V-5CFB connectors. You can get a bulk 1000 ft reel from B&H for 469.00.
Hey Doug! This is the 3rd time I've watched this video. Do you have recommendations for 6g cable? and for the connectors, I've been using "Klein Tools VDV813-613 Universal F Compression Connectors" with decent success. Is there a way to tell if connectors are also "6g"? I only need 4k 30fps
6G certifications are hard to find -- its a format that hasn't really been very widely adopted. If you really want to make sure your cable is 6G compatible, look for 12G certification instead. Any cable meant for 12G will work even better for 6G. I like Belden and Canare for cable, and Canare or Neutrik for connectors.
@@djp_video Thanks; I just found a spec sheet for the 1694a cable you linked. the sheet marks it as a 6g cable, but I do wish 6g was labeled better. www.farnell.com/datasheets/2331674.pdf?_ga=2.129834380.1090877853.1565720975-922377384.1565720975&_gac=1.157751624.1565721698.Cj0KCQjwv8nqBRDGARIsAHfR9wBwLSO-RqlCEA-V667Z_Kf06oAg7znLolrjRcI5x4bhSdrRpfAyqWkaAo4ZEALw_wcB As far as connectors go, is there any id for those? or the same 12 certified would be the tell?
I don't know if it's the best, but I've sure had good luck with the Canare crimp BNCs. In 25 years and thousands of connections, I've never had one fail.
Good afternoon, I have a question. which means marking on bnc connectors from canare. We have BCP-B45HW written on the connectors. Can we use a connector marked "Canare BCP-B53 Canare 3.0 GHz 75-Ohm BNC Plug for 1694A Cable"? Since they are identical in appearance.
We use Neutrik connectors for our RG6 cables over here in the UK, they have a good rubberised sleeve past the connection end and stops the cameramen bending it too much, especially if they step on the cable by accident when walking around on sports events. I am going to buy some of those Canare BCP-A42 to try as you've highly rated them. That yellow strip tool you have is excellent, what brand is that?
Question. #1-What is the maximum length one can create a 12g, 75ohm, SDI cable w/ BCI connectors. #2- If two SDI (75ohm, 12g) are connected (ie 300'-400'), is there a loss in signal at the male-to-male connector? Thank you
There's no hard and fast rule. It depends on the quality of the cable, how good the SDI output is, and how tolerant the SDI input is to variations in signal strength, frequency attenuation, noise induced, and timing shifts that occur in the cable. With some cheaper cables and/or poorly designed equipment you might be lucky to get 5 meters. With high quality cables and equipment you might achieve 60 meters. But it would take some really special, expensive cable and high quality equipment at both ends to be able to go 100 meters. Any connections along the way affect the quality. A good quality male-to-male won't attenuate or alter the equalization of the signal too much, but a cheap one might prevent the signal from being usable at all. I had some bargain basement BNC barrels I bought many years ago that won't even work for 6G-SDI at any length. And I have some from Canare that work well for every signal I've put through them. Bottom line is, if you want reliability, you probably shouldn't try to run 12G-SDI more than about 50 meters even with really good cable. If you have to go farther, convert to fiber instead.
@@djp_video Hello. Our school district received artificial turf, Nevco scoreboard/controllers and DataVideo HS1300 switcher, RMC-180 camera controller, and and two PTC-150 cameras. The goal is to run a line(cat5e, SDI 12g 300') to from the press booth to midfield, aimed at the end zone for graduation. Salesman stated can be done. This is a live event. What say you...
The fiber cable itself doesn't make a lot of difference, as long as you get Single Mode cables with LC/UPC connectors. Look for blue (not teal) connectors. Go with an armored cable if it's going to be where people might be stepping on it, otherwise regular standard cables will work just fine. To convert to/from SDI, use the Blackmagic Design Optical Fiber 12G converters djp.li/bmdof12g and 12G SFPs.
We use Sommer Cable VECTOR 0.8/3.7 with Neutrik Connectors for our long runs (100 meters). They are kind quite affordable arround 1,50 € / meter. They are quite flexible and can be put on reels very easy. For shorter ranges up to 30 meter we use generic rg59. Thanks to your video i downloaded the datasheets for both. now i know why the rg 59 wont work for longer runs ;-) anyone with experience in multicore sdi cables ... im looking for 2 channels of sdi in combination with cat5 or cat6.
Thank you @@djp_video . So you know, the 'Greenlee 2649 Crimp Die for 1505/1694/L-4CFB/L-5CFB" is "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." on amazon. what do you suggest for a replacement?
Hi Doug, what's your recommendations on mini coax cables? Are they just as reliable? I would like to use them for the rack wiring (video hub, switcher, fiber converters etc...) where all cables are less than 10 feet long.
I don't have a particular cable that I like -- generally I don't use them, but they can work alright if you're just doing short runs. The main issue with them is that signals degrade much faster than they do on larger cables so I wouldn't try to run any signals very far. That includes situations where a mini cable is patched into a longer higher grade cable, which should be avoided.
Hi Doug! Been watching a few of your videos lately and greatly appreciate the quality of information. I have been working on a streaming setup in my basement for a while and we've been using cheap HDMI to Ethernet converters from Amazon with varied results in quality control (have had to return two now). After unboxing a different brand today and having it not even work out of the box, we've decided this just isn't working out for us. So, we are thinking about replacing these with HDMI to SDI converters from Blackmagic to run to our ATEM switcher and I just wanted to run a couple thoughts by you. First off, we've recently purchased a 500-foot roll of the quad-shield RG6 cable you mentioned in the video for next to nothing. Do you think we can get away with this for 3G-SDI if we keep things under 100 feet? The average run is roughly 50-feet to our various cameras. We are currently streaming at 1080P 60 FPS. Also, you mentioned using the compression connectors for this type of cable, but would the BCP-B4F connectors work? They had some compression types at the local stores but there is no way of verifying if they are 75 OHM or not and I've already got a crimper that will handle the Canare connectors just fine. Thanks in advance! Cheers.
100 feet of RG-6 will work great for 3G-SDI. The BCP-B4F are meant for certain RG-59 style cables. They won't work with RG-6. The connectors at your local store are most likely 75 ohm, as they're probably made for RG-6.
Thanks for the quick reply! Right, I see I mixed up the cable types. I see both BCP-B45HW and BCP-B53 on your list for the 1694 A \ F types of cables. Would I be ok with either of these? Since I already have the crimper tool ordered it would be nice to not have to buy a compression tool as well if I can avoid it. I ended up getting the Greenlee PA2649 die and a frame based on one of your other videos.
Ah, gotcha. I guess it'll be a little trial and error then. This is what we ended up getting for reference (from Home Depot locally though) in case any of those specs help. www.fastenal.com/products/details/0748396
Hey Doug. Great video! thanks for the link in my comment. I'm considering the Canare L-5CFW (RG6) or the Canare L-3CFW (RG59). Have you had any experience with either cable? Leaning more toward the L-5CFW (we aren't running 4K currently but will be in the not to distant future) I also think I would like to use Neutrik connectors because they turn from the back. Have you had any experience with Neutrik BNC connectors?
Great video, ive had issues finding the right connecters and tools for 1694, im running 100-150ft at my church for 1080i/1080p, if u could post the model numbers in the description that would be great!
Hi. Can i use the belden 1642A for video broadcast? Is it rated for 6g sdi? Over 100meters? Im currently working on 3g sdi ecosystem. But i want it to be future proof abit. Is 6g enough for broadcast in the future or 12g? And i need to run 100 meters. Thanks! Lookig forward for your reply
I assume you mean 1694A? It will work for 6G-SDI for some distance -- I probably wouldn't go more than about 50m. And 12G-SDI at a shorter distance -- I don't think I'd try it past about 20m, if that. But it isn't really meant for either -- it's designed as a 3G-SDI cable. And I wouldn't try to run it to 100m for 3G-SDI either... SDI itself isn't even rated for distances beyond that. That's when we usually move to fiber.
@@djp_video ya. Sorry. I misstype it wrongly. Noted sir.. but can i know when u transmit your video from sdi to fiber, is there any noticable latency? More or no difference?
@mfrfilm4760 There is no difference in latency. The signal is the same, just that one uses light and one uses voltage to relay the signal - so it doesn’t go through any “conversion” from one format to another.
It's a thicker cable that does a better job at both containing and rejecting higher frequencies so it's easier for the receiving equipment to discern actual signal from outside interference.
i'm about to build an auditorium, And i'd like to put a cable permanently inside of concrete, Which SDI cable do i've to choose? RG5 vs RG6 And does "Ohm" really matter? In fact i'm going to run a long distance cable, Maybe around 50-60m away from room control I hope an asnwer from you sir, Thank you
Yes, the impedance (ohms) really does matter. It has to be 75 ohm or it won’t work reliably. Your best bet is to buy cable that is meant for SDI video. There are many choices available in the market. I tend to use Belden 1505A or 1694A more than others, but those are only two examples. If that isn’t available, your next best choice is RG6. Within RG6, there are various types as well, like quad shield, which is better than single shield. After RG6, RG59 is the next choice, but there is so much variability with both of those categories that you’ll find that some cables certified as RG6 or RG59 may not work. Check the manufacturer’s website to see if a cable you’re considering is meant for the type of SDI you need, at the length you need. SDI requires more bandwidth than other types of video sent over coax cables, like cable TV or composite video, and it requires a higher quality cable for it to work.
Hi Dough! In matter of cables, i was wondering if it is possible (and most of all if it is safe) to join 2 lemo fiber smpte cable... I heard some people who were worried abut tension and voltage issue, but i cannot find something about it on the net. Do you know anything about it? Is it recommended not to be done or i can join 2 lemo smpte without worrying to much?
Hi Doug, I remember in this video way back, you mentioned that UHD SDI cables are a different ball game.... now fast forward to 2020, could you please recommend a reliable 4K / 12G Ultra Flexible SDI Cable and BNC connectors I can buy. I do have access to the crimping tool, so I intend to make series of cable sizes based on my needs. Thanks in advance.
Hi, which would be best to use for a PTZ camera for approximative 30m (100 foot) length cable? Will the video feed using POE Lan cable have the same quality as the 3G-SDI cable? Thanks!
3G-SDI is always going to give you better quality video than anything you can send over Ethernet. And at 100 feet, most decent quality cables meant for professional use will work fine.
Hey Doug, In my country i can only buy belden 1505A cable without connectors and i don't want to make them myself. How would i know if a cable is good for my 3g-SDI camera's? Only the really expensive stuff says its 3g-sdi ready. I only need to go about 40 feet. Is any RG59 75 ohm cable good enough for 3g-sdi (1080p/60) or should i really look for those other cables?
Hi Doug , I am using Atem Mini switcher (Not Atem Mini Pro). I want to buy a SDI cable 1694A RG6 how much Feet we can use maximum . Should I buy Blackmagic Design Micro Converter SDI to HDMI 3G Or Blackmagic Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 6G can you please suggest
If you aren't using 4K, you can get up to 100 meters with 1694A. The 3G converters will work fine; you only need the 6G versions if you're working in 4K, which, of course, the ATEM Minis don't support.
Hi Doug. Your videos have been really helpful to learn alot from. I have a query.I have a blackmagic decklink 8K pro card. I am unable to get video out of it.The distance is 2M. My connection is as follows... 8k card ===> SDI Cable----> MicroConverter SDI to HDMI===> LG TV Now no ouptut is coming on the TV at all.I have checked with my other equipment and the TV is fine. My question is 1)Could the problem be my SDI converter? not sure it can do 12G 2)Could the problem be my SDI cable? i see it has the white plastic piece inside. Can 12G travel over RG-58 over short distance? Thanks for your response
The Micro Converters can't handle 4K signals. They'll work if you're outputting HD, but not 4K. If you need 4K, step up to the SDI-to-HDMI 6G for up to 30fps, or the Teranex Mini SDI-to-HDMI converter for 60 fps. For 8K, you'll need the new SDI-to-HDMI 8K converter. 12G can travel over RG-59 for short runs, but I wouldn't use RG-58; it's the wrong impedance.
hi Doug. i have a question? I hace a sony nx100 and they have HDMI, Micro USB and BNC. can I used the BNC to SDI? its different? because we want to used that connection in our church for streaming :)
Thanks for the video. Is there ever a time that RG-59 is better than RG-6? I would prefer to just run all RG-6 for everything to make life more simple. I'm about to run new cable and want to be sure. Thanks.
@@djp_video One last question. Do you recommend the Die set from Amazon that you have linked over the Canare TCD-35CA when using the 1694A cable and BCP-B53 connectors? Is the one on Amazon just as good as the Canare branded one? Just want to make sure. Thank you.
hi doug, nice video. i would like to ask a question to you, any answer would be appreciated. i have a trouble the cable not connected anymore after several time of use. probably after about 15-20 live event. i'm using canare L4CHD cable and canare BCP B4F connector. i'm connecting sony NX5 camera to ATEM television studio HD Switcher. the cable length is about 75meter (160ft) , and the signal is 720p50. i have checked the cable using multitester and the cable looks fine. i wonder what went wrong? thanks for the answer.
Of course SDI signals are far more complicated than the DC voltage output by your multitester. Were the ends crimped with the proper tools? Is there any visible damage to the cable? If nothing else, you can try new ends on the cable. I've seen that fix issues several times in the past.
@@djp_video thanks for the answer doug. there are no visible damage on the cable. at first when the cable is still new, the cable work properly. but after several times used, the cable cannot connect properly, i sometimes see the switcher received the audio signal from the camera but not video signal.. do this sdi cable have a lifespan? is it become broken after several time being used? or maybe it has something to do with the way i roll up the cable?
If I take a GoPro HDMI output into a blackmagic design bidirectional converter and run it with a mono price viper 300ft rg6 Sdi then into a BM Pcie capture card will it work?
Hello, we have dealt with the cable, now another question has arisen. What cable reel to take? so that the cable is wound on one side and the other end of the cable that is connected to the switcher is not wound.
Anyone know about max length? Do SDI and BNC both travel up to 300 feet? If you add a coupler to link 2 cables will it weaken the signal? Also, does it matter if I'm linking a BNC and an SDI together?
SDI is a protocol that usually travels on coaxial cables with BNC connectors. The effective maximum cable length is going to depend on the quality of the cable, quality of the connectors, the data rate of the signal (HD-SDI vs 3G-, 6G-, or 12G-SDI, etc.) as well as the equipment that it's connected to (some equipment is better about decoding iffy signals than others), as well as the environment. Running cables through a noisy RF environment, like bundled with power cables, reduces effective distance as well. Every connection reduces the strength and quality of the signal. Two cables connected together with coupler will be less reliable than a single cable without a connection in the middle of the run. You can start by looking at the manufacturer's ratings for their cables. A high quality cable might be rated for 12G-SDI out to 100 meters. But a cheaper cable might only get you a few meters of 12G-SDI. For an example, take a look at the data sheet for the Belden 1505A that I use most frequently: catalog.belden.com/techdata/EN/1505A_techdata.pdf It indicates that 6000 MHz signals (which roughly approximates to 6G-SDI) are attenuated by 21dB for every 100 feet of cable. That could easily push the signal strength too low for it to be decoded by many pieces of equipment even at just 100 feet. Compare that to 4694R ( catalog.belden.com/techdata/EN/4694R_techdata.pdf ) which has a loss of 15dB per 100 feet, which is a pretty significant difference. But even with a good quality cable, you still need high quality connectors as well, especially for longer signal runs or signals requiring higher bandwidth. If you need to do runs approaching or longer than 100 meters, I'd highly recommend going with fiber cables instead of coax. I have a video here on my channel on the differences between them. ua-cam.com/video/U7p7OboXZRQ/v-deo.html
Sir! I have a question, If I have my camera and video switcher supports only 3G Sdi signal will 12G SDI cable work perfectly my device? Because in future we want to upgrade cameras with 4k support. and do not want to upgrade SDI cable again and gain.
Unrelated question but do you have to do IMAG ever? Looking at your hand movements and the screens behind you it seems there is enough delay that IMAG would be out of sync with Audio in a venue. I get asked for IMAG a lot and I always have to be very careful about the chain from camera, switcher, projector to make sure I do not get more than a couple of frames before it causes issues for the audience.
I do it fairly regularly, actually. The monitors in the trailer do introduce a couple frames of delay on top of any delay from cameras and the switcher. This video was also shot at 24fps, which means that each frame of delay is going to be a lot more noticeable than it would be at 60fps. The cameras I'm using output with less than 2 frames of delay, and the switcher is less than one frame, so the video I'm sending to projectors is on average about 2 frames delayed. At 60fps that's generally pretty acceptable.
Ah, that explains it. Very cool, my biggest source is usually the projector, especially if its off axis and requires keystoning etc etc. We often bring in our own projector if we are not familiar with the Venue just to avoid headaches.
Hi, we have a problem. we connect cameras to the switcher via sdi cable, but there is no image. because of what it can be. They themselves do cable crimping. Cable Canare.
First, make sure that the cameras are set to output the same format video signal that the switcher is expecting. Also, use a short SDI cable to connect the camera to make sure you aren't having cable issues.
MyCableMart 25ft 6G-SDI (4K) BNC Coax Cable, RG6/18AWG Male to Male, Nickel Plated - I was a little worried when I saw you said that the RG-58 cable all have a plastic sheathing on the inside coax ground slip on - This brand of coax from Amazon claims this cable is RG-6 and good for up to SMPTE ST-2081 6G-SDI Standards yet if you look on Amazon w/ the descriptor this cable has the plastic sheathing, yet is RG-6 ... FYI . Great job on your videos, check this out though and maybe let people know that the plastic sheathing is not always an indicator of RG-58 , probably best to look at the cable descriptor itself .
Hi ! I want to transmit SD-SDI signal (from DeckLink SDI 4K) and then “Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G” and then again “Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G” Distance is 2KM Will this setup work for me ? Now which SDI cables I need to use, which SFP module , and what kind of OFC I need to use ?
It should work fine. I've run video over my fiber setup farther than that without any issues. You'll need the two Optical Fiber converters, a pair SFPs (I'd recommend the 3G-SDI SFPs from Blackmagic), and duplex (two strands) single-mode (9/25) fiber with (blue) LC connectors to plug into the SFPs. If whoever runs your fiber terminates with another type of connector (ST, SC, FC, etc.), simple adapters are available to convert from one to the other -- the key is making sure that single-mode fiber is used.
Thank you so much for your answer. One more question .... Will all the Blackmagic declink products provide the same quality of SD-SDI or it varies with cost of the products ? And I’m looking for some heavy duty kind of ... Please suggest me some decklink products for only high quality SD-SDI ...
Also, do you know if it’s possible to make cables with MALE ends instead of female...? If so, please do say what connectors you’d recommend. Many thanks.
The distance depends on the signal resolution, quality of the cable, and the devices connected. For HD-SDI with a good quality RG-59 or RG-6 type cable, 100m is pretty consistently achievable. If you're running 12G-SDI over RG-59, you might be lucky to get 30m, even with a good cable.
![Which Converter Do You Need? [EVERY Blackmagic Model, Explained]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U-65tUcQMRw/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Doug, this comment isn't related directly to this video, but I just wanted to say thank you for making this channel and sharing all of your production and streaming knowledge.
I'm starting a video streaming business and your videos have helped tremendously. I've watched a ton of your videos and some I've watched 3, 4, and 5 times over.
I started out as an instant replay operator for sports games and I never fully comprehended the purpose of all the gear in the truck. I was mainly concerned with just instant replay. Thanks to your channel, now I know how everything works!
Anyways, thanks again! Looking forward to the next video!
Hi folks, I'm going to try and explain impedance. Wish me luck! Impedance is a two part measurement. One part is the 'real' component and you will not be surprised then to find the other part is the 'imaginary' component. Together they make up something called a 'complex number'. The impedance classification of a cable is the resistance one would measure between the inner and outer conductors if looking at an infinite length of unterminated cable. The reason for it being a complex number is that both the dc and ac characteristics have to be combined together. The cable has a dc resistance along with some inductance and rather more capacitance. In effect it forms a low pass filter and these resistance, inductance and capacitance quantities have to be engineered so that the cable can pass the frequencies required along a useful length as Doug explains.
Thank you so much! I'm building a Live Streaming Rack atm and this is exactly the type of knowledge I was missing. Huge shoutout to you Doug!
Brilliant stuff, thank you Sir! No more confusion on SDI cabling :)
I've had great success running 12G-SDI over Belden 1855A, which is also nice and flexible for the patch panel. Always found the 1694 stuff to be too thick to handle properly.
As someone who has put BNC connectors on coax and didn't know about that connector thing until now, definitely would not rely on which connector is on the cable to determine what impedance the cable is. It usually says on the side of the cable anyway.
I probably should have specified, but I was mostly referring to commercial, pre-made cables. They tend to get it right.
You're the best Doug!
Man I love your videos, Doug. I'm learning soooooo much! Thank you sir!
This video was so helpful. Thanks.
Thanks for clearing up the questions I had. About to order from Amazon and was confused! All the best
Thanks for another very informative video, love your work!
This is extremely helpful, thank you!
Doug, due to the cost of copper, the fiber is looking like a great option for longer distance. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent information. Thank you.
Great info Doug, keep up the great work! Learned some things that I did not realize that I will be changing with my gear.
I work for a Border Patrol tech contractor. For really long 1080P 30 runs I need the lower DC resistance RG6 that is all copper center conductor vs the copper coated steel in cable TV usage. So home improvement store RG6 will work on shorter runs, but our 200 ft + runs require all copper in the center conductor.
Its now 2024. Good tip about the white inner piece for the rg58 cable (50 ohm). i havent used my Amateur radio license in over 25 years with lots of cables and antennae etc. Now its video cable sdi/hdmi for digital video cameras and Unreal software.
It's not a hard and fast rule, but there is a high correlation.
"Be sure to get brand name strippers" - is what I took home from all of this.
Hi, Doug. Just subscribed to your channel I'm new to SDI, I use it to capture SD video from obsolete videotape formats. Using a Black Magic Mini Converter Analog to SDI and a Black Magic Decklink Mini Recorder. I hope to learn a lot from your videos. Thanks for maing them.
Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Home-improvement store RG6 and the compression BNC connectors work perfectly fine for SMPTE 292M (720p, 1080i) HD-SDI. I have around dozen camera cables. Some of them are the "good-stuff" flexible cable like Doug shows, and the rest are the home-improvement kind. I also use RG59 cables for HD-SD. My rule of thumb is that RG6 is reliable up to 300 ft, and RG59 up to 100 ft. I'm not into 4K (or 8K), so I don't have any experience with 6GHz or 12GHz SDI. My gut feeling is that RG6 would be good for 6GHz at least for 100 ft.
The inner dielectric (the white part between the center wire and the outer shield) is the most critical to signal integrity over long distances. The foam dielectric will reliably pass an HD-SDI signal over a longer distance than the solid kind. Virtually all of the home-improvement RG6 is foam-dielectric. The shield is important for signal integrity when you are running cable or satellite RF, but not nearly as important for HD-SDI. The home-improvement RG6 is rather "over-kill" for HD-SDI. However the style of the shield (for example "quad-shield") is important when you are selecting connectors. Be sure to get connectors that are designed for the kind of coax cable you are using.
There are many 75-ohm cables (RG6 and RG59) out there with 50-ohm BNC connectors. You CANNOT determine the impedance of the cable by looking at the connectors. You should always read the rating printed on the side of the cable. For short distances, 50-ohm BNC connectors (and even 50-ohm cable) will work. But it is always preferable to use 75 ohm BNC connectors for 75-ohm applications (like HD-SDI). Note that when buying BNC connectors you must always assume that they are 50-ohm unless they explicitly state that they are 75-ohm.
I have always heard it pronounced "Can-ARE-ay" Note the heat-shrink tubing on Doug's RG59 cable example. Good idea to use heat-shrink on each end of your cables. You can write on light color tubing (white, yellow) with a permanent pen to identify owner, length, etc.) And even use different colors on different lengths tor easy selection when setting up.
I have also found it handy to use "siamese cable" which is an RG6 bonded together with a Cat5 cable. I use the Cat-5 cable for various things like camera power and/or tally lights and intercom or power/control for my remote pan-tilt heads, or for camera remote control (zoom, focus, iris, etc.)
A quick follow-up on this. I worked on a shoot for someone else yesterday and they had made up a bunch of SDI cables using hardware store quad shield RG-6 cable. We were shooting 1080p29.97, so it was just an HD-SDI signal -- not even 3G-SDI, but we were having a heck of a time getting the cables longer than about 100 feet to work reliably. The signal was pretty marginal. We had to swap out more than one cable over the course of the day.
Home Store RG-6 RF cable has a copper coated STEEL center conductor which will have much greater loss than pure copper and the center pin crimp will NOT be as secure a connection on the harder STEEL conductor. It will not work at as long a distance as a proper VIDEO cable. They are also less flexible since they are designed for fixed use ( Antenna or Cable Company to a TV )
very informative video, well done. Thank you!
Thank you for the video though. I am learning a lot of things from you. Thank you
I spent some time in reviewing the industry specs of cables and found the Japanese company "Canard" was the most highly rated. Many dealers do not stock it, and have to order it in. It appears that it is a "batch" production run and needs a lot of orders to actually make it. As 12 G cable is a small industry, then demand for high end cable is low.
Hi, Doug, thanks for providing such thorough and great information in this video. I just had a question about the connectors: do the connectors factor into the decision making when deciding to create a 12G cable vs a 3G one? That is to say, are the connectors “rated” for 3G, 6G, 12G etc. signals, like the cables? Or is it purely a matter of as long as the connector can fit the desired cable there won’t be any issues? Thanks!
Doug,
In this video you said that all bnc’s with white in the end is a rg-58 cable end. I want to point out the Belden 8241 rg-59/U cable.
It’s a general guideline, not a hard/fast rule. I believe I said that.
What do you think about the trueCable brand ?
I've never used them. I don't have an opinion.
@@djp_video ook thank you. I will go with what you recommend then
This was very helpful thankyou!
Hi Doug. Great content thanks for sharing. I have a question about the home improvement store cable you demonstrated. Why should or shouldn’t use it? I don’t mind getting the more expensive ones if I need it. But I just don’t want to do it thinking that I have to. Thanks again.
The hardware store cable won't let you run a signal as far. And will be more limited in terms of its ability to carry higher resolution signals like 6G- or 12G-SDI.
My work has a Sony EX1. For the kind of work we do, I've never needed an SDI cable, but I did a project the other day where it might have come in handy. Do you know if there's a certain kind of SDI cable I need for the EX1? It seems like a simple question to me, but I'm having a hard time finding an answer online.
The EX1 has a standard HD-SDI output, so any decent quality SDI cable designed for HD will work (which would be most all of them today).
@@djp_video Thank you very much! :)
I just want to know if 3gsdi and 12gsdi use the same cable
Sort of. Both use cable based on RG-59 or RG-6, but the actual design and build quality of the cable matters.
Cable made for 12G-SDI will always work for 3G-SDI, but the reverse isn't necessarily true. 12G-SDI creates a signal which changes four times as frequently as 3G-SDI, which means that the signal is made up of much higher frequencies, and the cable has to be able to handle those frequencies at the distance the signal is going to be run without too much loss or other degradation (timing/phase, noise, etc.). For the most part, a 3G-SDI cable will work okay for 12G-SDI for short runs of a few meters. But I wouldn't expect a cable only rated for 3G-SDi to work for longer runs.
If you're planning on ever using cable for 4K, I'd highly recommend just getting cable rated for 12G-SDI out of the gate so you don't have to replace it later.
Thank you for your reply. My real question is this.@@djp_video I have a Canon C500 with 3gsdi, I'm looking for a recording monitor, I found one with 12gsdi. Will I be able to use this recording monitor with my camera and if so, which wire would I need, 3g or 12g? Thank you for your time!
Yes. Devices which support 12G-SDI also support 6G-SDI, 3G-SDI, and HD-SDI.
If your camera only supports 3G, all you need is a cable compatible with 3G-SDI, which nearly any 75-ohm coax cable with BNC connectors will be at that short distance.
Thank you God bless!@@djp_video
Hello Dough!. Big question: we do small mobile video productions using led wall screen, what SDI cable do you recommend for this kind setups?. thanks in advance!
What kinds of distances and environments? What resolution/frame rate are you shooting?
I like those connectors. I been using the Klein compression connectors and they’ve been working great, but I always wonder how tight the pin actually is on the cable.
Do you use boots with any of your cables?
Occasionally, but not often.
Very helpful video Doug! I having trouble finding 12g pass through cabling. I was looking into the 12G Rated HD-SDI BNC 4855R Mini RG59 - 23 AWG but I can't seem to find any reviews on it. Any thoughts? The description says the cable can carry a 12G-SDI signal up to 149ft, so I should be good for 1ft pass through. I never understand why they put HD-SDI in the title if its 12G rated. SO CONFUSING! lol
We are using blackmagic cameras for live switching with Atem switcher. We are using 2 x 12G sdi cables for camera feed and returns. What is the best way to have 2 sdi cable wrapped into one single cable?
You could use an expandable braided sheath, or a bit of heat shrink every few feet. I'd stay away from tape and zip ties. Velcro cable ties would be another viable option.
Do you have your BM switcher connected to a BM 40x40 video hub? What cable did you use, 1694a still? Is it a lot of bulk? From your experience would a mini rg-59 option from Belden work well for this application?
Yes, I use multiple 40x40 Smart Videohubs. The cabling in my trailer is almost all Belden 1505A. It's somewhat bulky but not bad.
If your cable runs are short you can get away with a mini RG-59. Effective range is a lot shorter with the mini cable, though, so I'd avoid it unless you actually really need mini cables.
@@djp_video Got it, thank you.
Hey Doug,
I just wanted to say thanks for this video, you really helped me.
What are your thoughts for this scenario?
I use the ATEM Mini Pro and for some of my live streams i am in need of a roughly 60m camera feed from outdoors to indoors, so i was thinking on getting two Blackmagic Design HDMI/SDI Bidirectional 3G convertors and running RG6 3G cabling, however, would you recommend having 1 x 60m RG6 3G cable or perhaps 6 x10m RG6 3G cables and using female to female BNC connectors? The 60m length is seldom needed so i was thinking of having 10m cables which i can use more frequently as apposed to 1 x 60m cable which would sit i crate as apposed to being used.
Your advice would be truly appreciated, i've been a Dj and audio guy for over 15 years and Video kind of fell into my lap since the pandemic so i am fairly new to this side.
The fewer the number of connections the better. Each connection causes signal losses and reflections and other forms of degradation. If it's within your budget, you'd be better off with a single long run than with a run pieced together from shorter lengths of cable.
@@djp_video Thank you.
WHERE CAN I GET THAT STRIPPER To BUY?
Tools and cables are listed here: djp.li/Cat=Cabling,CrimpTools
Hi Doug, thank you for sharing the knowledge! Wanted to ask you, since I work as a VTR on film sets - what is your opinion
about Sommer cables, are they worth investing ? They are a bit cheaper than belden cables but I have troubles finding any opinions about them on the internet.
I've never used it. I'm not sure of the quality.
@@djp_videoI understand. I have one more question about power cables used to film monitors.I am planning to mount sdi cable and a power cable with c13 connector, on one reel to facilitate my work on set. Would you recommend any power cable that would be durable and up for such task?
Great video as always!
Q: do you have a link to buy Belden 1694A or Canare L-4.5CHD terminated cables by foot?
Need to buy some, send it to Miami and then to Venezuela.
I like to buy the right ones
Thanks in advance ans sorry for my English; I'm still learning
Have a Productive and Healthy day!
djp.li/1694a
Hi there, thanks for the info. My question is, does the brand of the HD-SDI RG6 Cable matter. I noticed the monoprice is considerably cheaper. Will it work just as well on a 150 cable from camera to switcher?
It certainly can. There all sorts of level of quality available from not just different manufacturers, but also different SKUs within a given manufacturer. Some are built with higher quality materials or with additional shielding or, in the case of pre-assembled cables, vastly different quality of connectors. You will find that a cable from one manufacturer that works at 150 feet will work just fine, but the same length from another manufacturer won't work at all.
For shorter cables it doesn't matter as much, but if you're looking at purchasing a longer cable, sticking with a cable model with a good reputation can really pay off.
What about the ultra thin patch cables? Does it matter that they look like they have no shielding?
It is certainly a potential issue. I wouldn’t use any cable that doesn’t have at least some shielding.
Hello and thanks for the great videos. I got a apple 27" LED display ( Magsafe and mini display port) and I'd like to use as a monitor with my Roland V60 HD switcher. I cannot send the signal to the monitor so I can use it as a muitiview ( HDMI from switcher to mini display port to the 27" display) . I tried a converter and it works but only spits out 720 and not 1080p. Do you know how to get it to work?
Thanks!
You'll probably spend nearly as much on, or more, on a proper converter than you will on a new monitor.
Thanks for the information. I have a question we have an ATEM Mini Pro and are looking to run a live stream of our baseball games in the spring. Our run is a little over 200' what is the best cable to use? Can I go up to 300'?
HDMI will never go that far, so you'll need to convert to SDI or fiber. If you're shooting at 50 or 60 fps and need up to 300 feet, you'll need a good quality cable to make it that far. The coax that I prefer to use is from Belden -- 1505A or 1505F (flexible version) would work but 1694A or 1694F, with Canare or Neutrik connectors would be better. Hardware store RG-6 Quad Shield might work, but I'm not sure I'd risk it, and if you went that way you'd definitely need to upgrade the connectors over what is available in retail.
Hey Doug, how about doing a video showing the actual making of the different cables as in the ones with compression ends and the crimp ends?
I'll try to remember to shoot video next time I need to do that.
which one is better for 6Ghz signal? 30 meters distance
1505A will work just fine for that.
Hey Doug! Awesome video! You do a great job of providing complex information very understandably. Any way you could you provide an opinion on Canare vs Belden for cabling (understanding you recommend the Canare terminators either way)? Context (if you care to read it): I'm running RG6 transmitting 3G-SDI for up to a 200ft run. Apologies if I missed it but I didn't hear anything explicit in your video. My understanding says that's transmitted at a 2.97Mbps data rate which means we look at the attenuation at 1.485GHz. Looking at the datasheets for Belding 1694A vs Canare L-5CFB for 100ft I'm seeing Belden at 1.5GHz has -7.8dB drop vs Canare at 1.45GHz with an -8.8dB drop. The standards I'm seeing say to keep it above -20dB drop in total for average equipment (I'm looking at the Blackmagic systems for which I can't find exact attenuation specs). This comes to a difference of -15.6dB for Belden vs -17.6dB for Canare. That's a 2dB difference for a bulk price gap of Belden's $0.71/ft to Canare's $0.44/ft. Do you think Belden is worth that price difference? Any advice would be hugely appreciated!
At 100 feet you won't see a difference. At 100 meters you might.
Legendary 1694A is widely used for 3G SDI but it was not designed for it.
Belden:
"Several years ago, we created an RG-6 video cable (1694A) that carried HD over 370 feet (113m). But when 3G-SDI hit the scene, that video signal - also called 1080p/60 or 1080p/50 - was double the bandwidth of high definition (HD), which reduced distance capabilities of 1694A down to 78m."
"That’s when we decided to create the first cable designed specifically to carry signals up to 100m for 3G-SDI, 1794A"
www.belden.com/blogs/smart-building/think-12g-sdi-over-coax-isn-t-possible-think-again/
I see you left the center pin on the cable when you put the other pieces back in the box. 14:29 I hope you found it, otherwise you will be wondering why you are missing one when you want to use the last connector.
Phill I did find it right after wrapping the video. Thanks.
Phill
N
a question, can you run multiple signals to a stage through 1 rg6 or do i need to have a whole bunch of em taped together to the live stage, thanks let me know
Each RG-6/RG-59 cable can only carry one video signal in one direction. You'll need multiple cables if you have multiple signals.
@@djp_video thanks I gues it's gonna be alot of cable tied together
Hi Mr Doug, need a suggestion.
I ordered perfect vision rg59 connector 50 nos, but my cables are rg6.
Can't return, can I buy rg59 then solder join it with rg6. Kind of makeshift way,
Very expensive mistake.
No, this wouldn’t work reliably
@@djp_video instead of solder join I have used ftype coupler to join 59 and 6. But It works.
We are considering making our own! Wondering if you could explain the difference between the RG6/RG59 &. BELDEN 1369P
Belden 1369P SDI cable, - PLENUM (this was provided by audio install company)
Thanks so much!!!
I haven't used 1369P, but performance-wise it looks somewhat similar to the 1505A that I use most frequently. It should work fine for video up to 1080p30 at up to 100m. For higher resolutions or frame rates the usable distance will be shorter.
The connectors for 1369P will probably be different than those for standard RG-6 or RG-59. It's similar to an RG-6, but not identical. Belden's recommended connectors are FSNS6PL, FSNS6BNCPL, FSNS6RCAPL.
The 'Plenum' designation means that it is safe to use in spaces used for heating or air conditioning, such as false ceilings used for forced-air returns. There are quite a few articles on the internet concerning plenum cables if that is something you care about.
Doug Johnson Productions appreciate the reply! Most helpful :). Great video. Big thanks!
1 Port Vga to 2 Ports Sdi (SD-SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI) Audio Converter SDI Broadcast Room, No-Linear Editing Field, CCTV Securit
Hello Doug, I'm trying to connect the video converter mentioned above I connect VGA in the output of the PC and I connect BNC out RG6 cable to a DVR and I do not have any video this black screen before I had a VGA to Video composite and if I have an image there is something especially what you have to do.
Hi, Doug! I bought a DELTACO RG59 and one of the connectors broke in the first attempt to connect to a camera; the outer metal casing (the one with the grip) came loose and metal parts inside fell out. Was it just bad luck or is that brand known for poor quality overall? Do you have experience with that brand, what do you think?
I'm not familiar with that brand.
I use Canare and Neutrik connectors exclusively, and Belden and Canare cable exclusively. They have been great, and in the long run aren't any more expensive than the budget brands when you factor in replacements and the time spent dealing with issues.
@@djp_video Thank you for the answer! I have now ordered a Canare L-3CFW (RG59) from the US, since they are not easily available in Europe. I only hope this cable is not made of chinesium.
Hi Doug, sorry to resurrect this oldie but goodie. Is there an adapter or pigtail for a micro BNC to a regular-size BNC (male)? My use case is needing to thread an SDI cable thru a very narrow Steadicam gimble (pole). Space is tight (reverse engineering), so I would like to snake the micro sdi down the pole to the bottom sled where the connection will be to the camera monitor (standard size BNC). The top of the Steadicam stage will have the regular-size BNC for camera output. The cable I have in mind is similar to the Blackmagic video assist cable. Thanks in advance.
You can get micro or DIN1.1/2.3 connectors for many varieties of coax cable. Check Canare, Belden, and Neutrik's websites for some available options.
Does the cable need to regularly be inserted and removed? Or could you thread it through one time without connectors, then add full-size connectors afterward?
@@djp_video Thanks for the quick reply. Once I thread the cable, it will live permanently. Your last question seems to suggest I crimp my own cable? If so, i currently do not have the toolset to build my own cables.
There are relatively inexpensive ways of doing that, even from a hardware store. The Quad Shield RG-6 cable sold there works well for short runs for SDI signals, and they usually sell BNC connectors as well.
@@djp_video Okay. Let me get to the bottom of my dilemma. Clearly, I will learn something new and useful with this exercise. Thank you for the guidance.
Thanks for this Doug - very useful.
I was wondering if you would tell us what tools to buy to strip the Beldon 1505F cable and crimp the same cable with Canare BCP-B45HW, please?
I’ll only be ever running 3G or 6G SDI signal over 1-5m lengths so I’m pretty set on this combo - I just want to make strong, flexible (I do a lot of location work) cables.
You can use the same Canare TS100u with the F versions of the cable, but you'll need to be more careful adjusting the blade so it doesn't damage the inner conductor. djp.li/ts100u
I make my own SDI cables I use Belden 1694A RG6---18 AWG with Canare 3.0 GHz 75-Ohm BNC Plug for L-5CFB/V-5CFB connectors. You can get a bulk 1000 ft reel from B&H for 469.00.
Thats a really good price, 2 years ago I paid that much for just 500ft.
Edward Seifer
What is the difference in Belden 1813A and 1694A RG6 cables? RG6 how much meter we can use maximum
Is it possible to use stranded center conductor cable for SdI signals?
Yes... they're reasonably common. Just make sure you have the right connector for the type of cable you're using.
@@djp_videoDo you have a favorite lower budget SDI cable stripping tool?
Hey Doug! This is the 3rd time I've watched this video. Do you have recommendations for 6g cable? and for the connectors, I've been using "Klein Tools VDV813-613 Universal F Compression Connectors" with decent success. Is there a way to tell if connectors are also "6g"? I only need 4k 30fps
6G certifications are hard to find -- its a format that hasn't really been very widely adopted. If you really want to make sure your cable is 6G compatible, look for 12G certification instead. Any cable meant for 12G will work even better for 6G. I like Belden and Canare for cable, and Canare or Neutrik for connectors.
@@djp_video Thanks; I just found a spec sheet for the 1694a cable you linked. the sheet marks it as a 6g cable, but I do wish 6g was labeled better. www.farnell.com/datasheets/2331674.pdf?_ga=2.129834380.1090877853.1565720975-922377384.1565720975&_gac=1.157751624.1565721698.Cj0KCQjwv8nqBRDGARIsAHfR9wBwLSO-RqlCEA-V667Z_Kf06oAg7znLolrjRcI5x4bhSdrRpfAyqWkaAo4ZEALw_wcB
As far as connectors go, is there any id for those? or the same 12 certified would be the tell?
Which type is the best SDI connector.
I don't know if it's the best, but I've sure had good luck with the Canare crimp BNCs. In 25 years and thousands of connections, I've never had one fail.
Good afternoon, I have a question. which means marking on bnc connectors from canare. We have BCP-B45HW written on the connectors. Can we use a connector marked "Canare BCP-B53 Canare 3.0 GHz 75-Ohm BNC Plug for 1694A Cable"? Since they are identical in appearance.
We use Neutrik connectors for our RG6 cables over here in the UK, they have a good rubberised sleeve past the connection end and stops the cameramen bending it too much, especially if they step on the cable by accident when walking around on sports events. I am going to buy some of those Canare BCP-A42 to try as you've highly rated them. That yellow strip tool you have is excellent, what brand is that?
I love Neutrik as well! I use them for everything other than my coax.
The stripper is the Canare TS100u. It handles several different sizes of cable.
Excellent, Thanks Doug! Great video as always.
I love the Neutrik Reartwist connectors, they make life so much easier - espacially when connecting video routers ;)
I'll have to give them a try. Thanks!
Plus they support 12G ( Neutrik) . Their crimp tool dimn though is non-standard and quite expensive
Question. #1-What is the maximum length one can create a 12g, 75ohm, SDI cable w/ BCI connectors.
#2- If two SDI (75ohm, 12g) are connected (ie 300'-400'), is there a loss in signal at the male-to-male connector? Thank you
There's no hard and fast rule. It depends on the quality of the cable, how good the SDI output is, and how tolerant the SDI input is to variations in signal strength, frequency attenuation, noise induced, and timing shifts that occur in the cable. With some cheaper cables and/or poorly designed equipment you might be lucky to get 5 meters. With high quality cables and equipment you might achieve 60 meters. But it would take some really special, expensive cable and high quality equipment at both ends to be able to go 100 meters.
Any connections along the way affect the quality. A good quality male-to-male won't attenuate or alter the equalization of the signal too much, but a cheap one might prevent the signal from being usable at all. I had some bargain basement BNC barrels I bought many years ago that won't even work for 6G-SDI at any length. And I have some from Canare that work well for every signal I've put through them.
Bottom line is, if you want reliability, you probably shouldn't try to run 12G-SDI more than about 50 meters even with really good cable. If you have to go farther, convert to fiber instead.
@@djp_video Hello. Our school district received artificial turf, Nevco scoreboard/controllers and DataVideo HS1300 switcher, RMC-180 camera controller, and and two PTC-150 cameras. The goal is to run a line(cat5e, SDI 12g 300') to from the press booth to midfield, aimed at the end zone for graduation. Salesman stated can be done. This is a live event. What say you...
I'd say you would be really lucky to get 300 feet of 12G-SDI even with good cable. Fiber would be a far better option.
@@djp_video What fiber line would you recommend?
The fiber cable itself doesn't make a lot of difference, as long as you get Single Mode cables with LC/UPC connectors. Look for blue (not teal) connectors. Go with an armored cable if it's going to be where people might be stepping on it, otherwise regular standard cables will work just fine.
To convert to/from SDI, use the Blackmagic Design Optical Fiber 12G converters djp.li/bmdof12g and 12G SFPs.
Hey, so for the 1694A RG6 cable, the canare l-4cfb ends work fine?
Hi can we use the rg62 93ohm cable?
Not if you want reliability. You need 75 ohm cable.
We use Sommer Cable VECTOR 0.8/3.7 with Neutrik Connectors for our long runs (100 meters). They are kind quite affordable arround 1,50 € / meter. They are quite flexible and can be put on reels very easy. For shorter ranges up to 30 meter we use generic rg59.
Thanks to your video i downloaded the datasheets for both. now i know why the rg 59 wont work for longer runs ;-)
anyone with experience in multicore sdi cables ... im looking for 2 channels of sdi in combination with cat5 or cat6.
What cable and connector to go the maximum distance over 3GSDI? Highest signal I will run is 1080P60.
The Belden 1505A that I use most commonly is rated for that distance. See the links in the video description.
Thank you @@djp_video . So you know, the 'Greenlee 2649 Crimp Die for 1505/1694/L-4CFB/L-5CFB" is "Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." on amazon. what do you suggest for a replacement?
You could get it somewhere else. Or get the real Canare die.
Hi Doug, what's your recommendations on mini coax cables? Are they just as reliable? I would like to use them for the rack wiring (video hub, switcher, fiber converters etc...) where all cables are less than 10 feet long.
I don't have a particular cable that I like -- generally I don't use them, but they can work alright if you're just doing short runs. The main issue with them is that signals degrade much faster than they do on larger cables so I wouldn't try to run any signals very far. That includes situations where a mini cable is patched into a longer higher grade cable, which should be avoided.
Hi Doug! Been watching a few of your videos lately and greatly appreciate the quality of information. I have been working on a streaming setup in my basement for a while and we've been using cheap HDMI to Ethernet converters from Amazon with varied results in quality control (have had to return two now). After unboxing a different brand today and having it not even work out of the box, we've decided this just isn't working out for us. So, we are thinking about replacing these with HDMI to SDI converters from Blackmagic to run to our ATEM switcher and I just wanted to run a couple thoughts by you.
First off, we've recently purchased a 500-foot roll of the quad-shield RG6 cable you mentioned in the video for next to nothing. Do you think we can get away with this for 3G-SDI if we keep things under 100 feet? The average run is roughly 50-feet to our various cameras. We are currently streaming at 1080P 60 FPS. Also, you mentioned using the compression connectors for this type of cable, but would the BCP-B4F connectors work? They had some compression types at the local stores but there is no way of verifying if they are 75 OHM or not and I've already got a crimper that will handle the Canare connectors just fine.
Thanks in advance! Cheers.
100 feet of RG-6 will work great for 3G-SDI.
The BCP-B4F are meant for certain RG-59 style cables. They won't work with RG-6. The connectors at your local store are most likely 75 ohm, as they're probably made for RG-6.
Thanks for the quick reply! Right, I see I mixed up the cable types. I see both BCP-B45HW and BCP-B53 on your list for the 1694 A \ F types of cables. Would I be ok with either of these? Since I already have the crimper tool ordered it would be nice to not have to buy a compression tool as well if I can avoid it. I ended up getting the Greenlee PA2649 die and a frame based on one of your other videos.
It's hard to say if those connectors will work well with your cable. There are a number of dimensions that have to line up for them to fit correctly.
Ah, gotcha. I guess it'll be a little trial and error then. This is what we ended up getting for reference (from Home Depot locally though) in case any of those specs help.
www.fastenal.com/products/details/0748396
Hey Doug. Great video! thanks for the link in my comment. I'm considering the Canare L-5CFW (RG6) or the Canare L-3CFW (RG59). Have you had any experience with either cable? Leaning more toward the L-5CFW (we aren't running 4K currently but will be in the not to distant future) I also think I would like to use Neutrik connectors because they turn from the back. Have you had any experience with Neutrik BNC connectors?
Both the L-5CFW and Neutrik BNC connectors are excellent. Those will work well for you.
@@djp_video Hi Doug, I am curious why you don't use Belden connectors on the Belden Cables.
Have you had an experience with them in the past?
Great video, ive had issues finding the right connecters and tools for 1694, im running 100-150ft at my church for 1080i/1080p, if u could post the model numbers in the description that would be great!
Hi. Can i use the belden 1642A for video broadcast? Is it rated for 6g sdi? Over 100meters? Im currently working on 3g sdi ecosystem. But i want it to be future proof abit. Is 6g enough for broadcast in the future or 12g?
And i need to run 100 meters. Thanks! Lookig forward for your reply
I assume you mean 1694A?
It will work for 6G-SDI for some distance -- I probably wouldn't go more than about 50m. And 12G-SDI at a shorter distance -- I don't think I'd try it past about 20m, if that. But it isn't really meant for either -- it's designed as a 3G-SDI cable. And I wouldn't try to run it to 100m for 3G-SDI either... SDI itself isn't even rated for distances beyond that. That's when we usually move to fiber.
@@djp_video ya. Sorry. I misstype it wrongly. Noted sir.. but can i know when u transmit your video from sdi to fiber, is there any noticable latency? More or no difference?
@mfrfilm4760 There is no difference in latency. The signal is the same, just that one uses light and one uses voltage to relay the signal - so it doesn’t go through any “conversion” from one format to another.
Doug, you mentioned a RG6 will handle 12G and 6G better than RG59.. but not WHY or HOW? Thanks.
It's a thicker cable that does a better job at both containing and rejecting higher frequencies so it's easier for the receiving equipment to discern actual signal from outside interference.
i'm about to build an auditorium, And i'd like to put a cable permanently inside of concrete, Which SDI cable do i've to choose?
RG5 vs RG6
And does "Ohm" really matter?
In fact i'm going to run a long distance cable, Maybe around 50-60m away from room control
I hope an asnwer from you sir, Thank you
Yes, the impedance (ohms) really does matter. It has to be 75 ohm or it won’t work reliably.
Your best bet is to buy cable that is meant for SDI video. There are many choices available in the market. I tend to use Belden 1505A or 1694A more than others, but those are only two examples. If that isn’t available, your next best choice is RG6. Within RG6, there are various types as well, like quad shield, which is better than single shield. After RG6, RG59 is the next choice, but there is so much variability with both of those categories that you’ll find that some cables certified as RG6 or RG59 may not work. Check the manufacturer’s website to see if a cable you’re considering is meant for the type of SDI you need, at the length you need.
SDI requires more bandwidth than other types of video sent over coax cables, like cable TV or composite video, and it requires a higher quality cable for it to work.
Thank you for a great video! What about the DIN-connectors found on some of the Blackmagic products? Are they just as easy to get on a coax-cable?
They're pretty similar. A bit more finicky to work with because of their smaller size, but the technique is almost exactly the same.
@@djp_video cool. What type of cables would I need for making a BNC to DIN adapter cable?
Hi Dough! In matter of cables, i was wondering if it is possible (and most of all if it is safe) to join 2 lemo fiber smpte cable... I heard some people who were worried abut tension and voltage issue, but i cannot find something about it on the net. Do you know anything about it? Is it recommended not to be done or i can join 2 lemo smpte without worrying to much?
I don’t think I’d try it
Hi Doug, I remember in this video way back, you mentioned that UHD SDI cables are a different ball game.... now fast forward to 2020, could you please recommend a reliable 4K / 12G Ultra Flexible SDI Cable and BNC connectors I can buy. I do have access to the crimping tool, so I intend to make series of cable sizes based on my needs. Thanks in advance.
I haven't seen any ultra-flexible 12G options. But I haven't exactly spent much time researching it either.
Hi, which would be best to use for a PTZ camera for approximative 30m (100 foot) length cable? Will the video feed using POE Lan cable have the same quality as the 3G-SDI cable? Thanks!
3G-SDI is always going to give you better quality video than anything you can send over Ethernet. And at 100 feet, most decent quality cables meant for professional use will work fine.
@@djp_video So Belden 1694A cable will be overkill for 3g-SDI or recommended?
It’s a great cable. I wouldn’t call it overkill, but it does give you a good safety margin compared to most other cables.
Hey Doug,
In my country i can only buy belden 1505A cable without connectors and i don't want to make them myself. How would i know if a cable is good for my 3g-SDI camera's? Only the really expensive stuff says its 3g-sdi ready. I only need to go about 40 feet. Is any RG59 75 ohm cable good enough for 3g-sdi (1080p/60) or should i really look for those other cables?
Yes, the RG-59 (or, preferably RG-6) should work just fine at those lengths.
Hi Doug ,
I am using Atem Mini switcher (Not Atem Mini Pro).
I want to buy a SDI cable 1694A RG6 how much Feet we can use maximum .
Should I buy Blackmagic Design Micro Converter SDI to HDMI 3G
Or Blackmagic Mini Converter SDI to HDMI 6G can you please suggest
If you aren't using 4K, you can get up to 100 meters with 1694A. The 3G converters will work fine; you only need the 6G versions if you're working in 4K, which, of course, the ATEM Minis don't support.
Hi Doug.
Your videos have been really helpful to learn alot from.
I have a query.I have a blackmagic decklink 8K pro card.
I am unable to get video out of it.The distance is 2M.
My connection is as follows...
8k card ===> SDI Cable----> MicroConverter SDI to HDMI===> LG TV
Now no ouptut is coming on the TV at all.I have checked with my other equipment
and the TV is fine.
My question is
1)Could the problem be my SDI converter? not sure it can do 12G
2)Could the problem be my SDI cable? i see it has the white plastic piece inside.
Can 12G travel over RG-58 over short distance?
Thanks for your response
The Micro Converters can't handle 4K signals. They'll work if you're outputting HD, but not 4K.
If you need 4K, step up to the SDI-to-HDMI 6G for up to 30fps, or the Teranex Mini SDI-to-HDMI converter for 60 fps. For 8K, you'll need the new SDI-to-HDMI 8K converter.
12G can travel over RG-59 for short runs, but I wouldn't use RG-58; it's the wrong impedance.
Doug Johnson Productions Thanks very much for reply.it will help alot
hi Doug. i have a question? I hace a sony nx100 and they have HDMI, Micro USB and BNC. can I used the BNC to SDI? its different? because we want to used that connection in our church for streaming :)
The BNC on the NX100 is for standard definition composite video. That camera doesn't have SDI.
Thanks for the video. Is there ever a time that RG-59 is better than RG-6? I would prefer to just run all RG-6 for everything to make life more simple. I'm about to run new cable and want to be sure. Thanks.
It really just depends on the quality of the cable. I'd trust the Belden 1505A (RG-59) over hardware store RG-6 any day.
@@djp_video One last question. Do you recommend the Die set from Amazon that you have linked over the Canare TCD-35CA when using the 1694A cable and BCP-B53 connectors? Is the one on Amazon just as good as the Canare branded one? Just want to make sure. Thank you.
hi doug, nice video. i would like to ask a question to you, any answer would be appreciated. i have a trouble the cable not connected anymore after several time of use. probably after about 15-20 live event. i'm using canare L4CHD cable and canare BCP B4F connector. i'm connecting sony NX5 camera to ATEM television studio HD Switcher. the cable length is about 75meter (160ft) , and the signal is 720p50. i have checked the cable using multitester and the cable looks fine. i wonder what went wrong? thanks for the answer.
Of course SDI signals are far more complicated than the DC voltage output by your multitester. Were the ends crimped with the proper tools? Is there any visible damage to the cable?
If nothing else, you can try new ends on the cable. I've seen that fix issues several times in the past.
@@djp_video thanks for the answer doug. there are no visible damage on the cable. at first when the cable is still new, the cable work properly. but after several times used, the cable cannot connect properly, i sometimes see the switcher received the audio signal from the camera but not video signal.. do this sdi cable have a lifespan? is it become broken after several time being used? or maybe it has something to do with the way i roll up the cable?
Do you use the over/under technique when coiling cable?
@@djp_video what is over/under technique sir? do you have any video about explaining this technique?
I don't have my own video, but there are quite a few on UA-cam. Here's a good one: ua-cam.com/video/B2SUoAvGxVs/v-deo.html
H Doug, do you guys also make cables by order?
No
Will a 3ft rg 59/u mil type p/n cvc - 59 cable work for sdi transfer of 4k or/and raw from camera to atomos shogun recorder? 3g and 12g...... Thanks
Most likely.
@@djp_video how will I be able to tell if it won’t
You'll just have to try it. But most RG-59 cables just 3 feet long should handle 3G and 12G just fine.
If I take a GoPro HDMI output into a blackmagic design bidirectional converter and run it with a mono price viper 300ft rg6 Sdi then into a BM Pcie capture card will it work?
300 feet is probably pushing the limits of the cable. If I was running that far I’d probably convert to fiber.
Doug Johnson Productions what about 250 or 200ft?
If it's a really good quality cable it will likely work. I haven't used the Monoprice cables so I can't speak to how good they are.
Hello, we have dealt with the cable, now another question has arisen. What cable reel to take? so that the cable is wound on one side and the other end of the cable that is connected to the switcher is not wound.
Azat Akmatov The reels I use have pass-through holes to allow a portion of the wound portion of the cable to stick out from the middle
Hey Doug would you be able to post the links to the wires and tools?
Here you go: djp.li/cat=Cabling,Tools
Doug Johnson Productions thank you
Anyone know about max length? Do SDI and BNC both travel up to 300 feet?
If you add a coupler to link 2 cables will it weaken the signal? Also, does it matter if I'm linking a BNC and an SDI together?
SDI is a protocol that usually travels on coaxial cables with BNC connectors. The effective maximum cable length is going to depend on the quality of the cable, quality of the connectors, the data rate of the signal (HD-SDI vs 3G-, 6G-, or 12G-SDI, etc.) as well as the equipment that it's connected to (some equipment is better about decoding iffy signals than others), as well as the environment. Running cables through a noisy RF environment, like bundled with power cables, reduces effective distance as well.
Every connection reduces the strength and quality of the signal. Two cables connected together with coupler will be less reliable than a single cable without a connection in the middle of the run.
You can start by looking at the manufacturer's ratings for their cables. A high quality cable might be rated for 12G-SDI out to 100 meters. But a cheaper cable might only get you a few meters of 12G-SDI. For an example, take a look at the data sheet for the Belden 1505A that I use most frequently: catalog.belden.com/techdata/EN/1505A_techdata.pdf It indicates that 6000 MHz signals (which roughly approximates to 6G-SDI) are attenuated by 21dB for every 100 feet of cable. That could easily push the signal strength too low for it to be decoded by many pieces of equipment even at just 100 feet. Compare that to 4694R ( catalog.belden.com/techdata/EN/4694R_techdata.pdf ) which has a loss of 15dB per 100 feet, which is a pretty significant difference. But even with a good quality cable, you still need high quality connectors as well, especially for longer signal runs or signals requiring higher bandwidth.
If you need to do runs approaching or longer than 100 meters, I'd highly recommend going with fiber cables instead of coax. I have a video here on my channel on the differences between them. ua-cam.com/video/U7p7OboXZRQ/v-deo.html
Sir! I have a question, If I have my camera and video switcher supports only 3G Sdi signal will 12G SDI cable work perfectly my device? Because in future we want to upgrade cameras with 4k support. and do not want to upgrade SDI cable again and gain.
Aftab Sudhozai 12G cable will work great for 3G-SDI signals.
@@djp_video Thanks you sir for quick response. Stay blessed.
Thankj you
Unrelated question but do you have to do IMAG ever? Looking at your hand movements and the screens behind you it seems there is enough delay that IMAG would be out of sync with Audio in a venue. I get asked for IMAG a lot and I always have to be very careful about the chain from camera, switcher, projector to make sure I do not get more than a couple of frames before it causes issues for the audience.
I do it fairly regularly, actually.
The monitors in the trailer do introduce a couple frames of delay on top of any delay from cameras and the switcher. This video was also shot at 24fps, which means that each frame of delay is going to be a lot more noticeable than it would be at 60fps.
The cameras I'm using output with less than 2 frames of delay, and the switcher is less than one frame, so the video I'm sending to projectors is on average about 2 frames delayed. At 60fps that's generally pretty acceptable.
Ah, that explains it. Very cool, my biggest source is usually the projector, especially if its off axis and requires keystoning etc etc. We often bring in our own projector if we are not familiar with the Venue just to avoid headaches.
Hi, we have a problem. we connect cameras to the switcher via sdi cable, but there is no image. because of what it can be. They themselves do cable crimping. Cable Canare.
First, make sure that the cameras are set to output the same format video signal that the switcher is expecting. Also, use a short SDI cable to connect the camera to make sure you aren't having cable issues.
MyCableMart 25ft 6G-SDI (4K) BNC Coax Cable, RG6/18AWG Male to Male, Nickel Plated - I was a little worried when I saw you said that the RG-58 cable all have a plastic sheathing on the inside coax ground slip on - This brand of coax from Amazon claims this cable is RG-6 and good for up to SMPTE ST-2081 6G-SDI Standards yet if you look on Amazon w/ the descriptor this cable has the plastic sheathing, yet is RG-6 ... FYI . Great job on your videos, check this out though and maybe let people know that the plastic sheathing is not always an indicator of RG-58 , probably best to look at the cable descriptor itself .
6G-SDI is not 4K
4K can be transmitted over a Single Link of 12G-SDI or a Dual-Link of 6G-SDI
Hi !
I want to transmit SD-SDI signal (from DeckLink SDI 4K) and then “Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G” and then again “Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G”
Distance is 2KM
Will this setup work for me ?
Now which SDI cables I need to use, which SFP module , and what kind of OFC I need to use ?
It should work fine. I've run video over my fiber setup farther than that without any issues.
You'll need the two Optical Fiber converters, a pair SFPs (I'd recommend the 3G-SDI SFPs from Blackmagic), and duplex (two strands) single-mode (9/25) fiber with (blue) LC connectors to plug into the SFPs. If whoever runs your fiber terminates with another type of connector (ST, SC, FC, etc.), simple adapters are available to convert from one to the other -- the key is making sure that single-mode fiber is used.
Thank you so much for your answer. One more question ....
Will all the Blackmagic declink products provide the same quality of SD-SDI or it varies with cost of the products ?
And I’m looking for some heavy duty kind of ...
Please suggest me some decklink products for only high quality SD-SDI ...
Also, do you know if it’s possible to make cables with MALE ends instead of female...? If so, please do say what connectors you’d recommend. Many thanks.
There are male connectors available. Most manufacturers of BNC connectors make them. But I do prefer Canare.
What HDMI to SDI converters do you recommend?
Search through the videos on this channel. There are several that address this topic.
how long we can use this cable?
The distance depends on the signal resolution, quality of the cable, and the devices connected. For HD-SDI with a good quality RG-59 or RG-6 type cable, 100m is pretty consistently achievable. If you're running 12G-SDI over RG-59, you might be lucky to get 30m, even with a good cable.
Hello Doug,
Can you specify the brands of the tools you use to make your cables ? Your stripper, Crimper?
The stripper is the Canare TS100u. The crimper is something generic without any brand markings.
Thanks
Canare has 27 different SKUs for their BNC connectors so you really have to know which one you need for your particular cable.